This application is related to commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/131,895 entitled "Circuit for Direct Drive of LED as Bulb Replacement" filed Oct. 5, 1993.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a replaceable module for large-scale LED displays wherein the module can be removed from the array by merely removing a few screws or twisting the module and unfastening an electrical connector. The reverse procedure is used for connecting a new module to the display. The module includes processing means with both input and output capability allowing the module to be "daisy-chained" with successive modules to simplify the wiring of an LED matrix display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, it is well known to make displays with large-scale LED (light emitting diode) arrays. However, it has been difficult to replace the LEDs in these prior art displays if an LED or an LED module became inoperative. Typically, the replacement of an LED or an LED module required access to the rear of the display with the disconnection and re-connection of several wires extending from the control electronics to the LEDs or LED modules. This process was inefficient, time consuming and error prone.
Furthermore, in the prior art, large-scale LED arrays have had complicated wiring in that separate wires ran from a central processing unit to each of the individual modules, making any module replacement or reconfiguration inefficient, time consuming and error prone.